I, as an opposition MP and as a government backbencher, would visit the Dorchester Penitentiary and Shepody Healing Centre every year to see the remarkable work being done by these remarkable women and men.
I've said it to the commissioner and I've said it to her colleagues every time I've had a chance to visit an institution. I totally share your concern. I have heard directly.... Every time I visit one of these institutions, Mr. MacGregor, I too take time to meet with the elected union representatives at every one of these institutions, and, in a separate meeting, meet with the management and the staff. Of course, I visit the institution, but I sit with the union representatives elected by those brave women and men who work there to hear their concerns.
Two weeks ago, I met the national representatives. The CSN and the UCCO were in collective agreement negotiating sessions.
I'm looking at the commissioner. I want to make sure.... I have good news. The President of the Treasury Board sent me a text on the weekend saying that they've arrived at an agreement in principle with the UCCO.
I don't know how much of this is public, but it is good news, because they had talked to me about their concerns on exactly the issue of where they are in relation to the RCMP salaries. I don't know the details of the agreement, but I was told that at the bargaining table, they have arrived at an agreement in principle.
The commissioner told me yesterday that there's still some more work to do. I may not have the right bureaucratic phrase. Is it “general agreement”?
It's a global agreement. I told her that was also a private jet that Bombardier made in Montreal, but I don't think that's it.
There's a global agreement, Mr. Chair, that the commissioner will hopefully finalize, so there is good news there, Mr. MacGregor.
I'll finish with this because I see the chair and I'm about to evacuate my chair here to go see the leaders of the opposition.
One thing that I think is important is that the women and men who work for the Correctional Service of Canada are in many ways the invisible partners. We talked a lot about the CBSA. We talked a lot about the RCMP. CSIS has to be invisible; that's their business. If they're too visible, it goes badly.
The people who work for the Correctional Service do remarkable work in some of the most difficult circumstances. I just wish Canadians like you and me could see this good work and appreciate the work they do to keep the country safe. I just wanted to say it publicly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair.